10:36 a.m., Aug. 30, 2010----The annual Paul E. Wise Executive in Residence speakers series, sponsored by the University of Delaware Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, will begin at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 9, in 204 Kirkbride Hall on the UD campus in Newark.

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The lectures are free and open to the public. Professional business attire is required.

The opening speaker will be Mark Eason, president and chief operating officer of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. Since its inception, the company has grown to 17 successful units across the country.

The series will continue at 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in 204 Kirkbride Hall on the following dates:

Sept. 16 -- Lee Cockerell retired as the executive vice president of operations for the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., a position he held for 10 years. Prior to joining the Walt Disney World Co., Cockerell spent 17 years in various positions with the Marriott Corporation and eight years with Hilton Hotels. He is also author of the new book, Creating Magic -- 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From A Life At Disney.

Sept. 23 -- Skip Fox, president of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, is a seasoned veteran of the food and beverage industry. Prior to joining Fleming's, Fox served as senior vice president/national director of food and beverage for American Golf Corporation (AGC). At AGC, Fox was responsible for food and beverage operations at 270 private clubs and public golf courses throughout the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Oct. 7 -- Neil Shah, president and chief operating officer of Hersha Hospitality Trust, leads the company's active hotel acquisitions program and new development projects. Prior to working at Hersha, Shah served as a director and consultant with The Advisory Board Company and the Corporate Executive Board, both strategy consulting firms based in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 21 -- John Russell, chief executive officer of NYLO Hotels, likes to do things he hasn't done before and make a difference. Russell began his hotel career with the Sheraton Corporation. Post-Sheraton, Russell was the vice chairman of the travel division of Cendant Corp., where he was responsible for the world's largest providers of travel services, including hotel franchising, vacation ownership and car rentals. Simultaneously, Russell was also president and chief executive officer of Cendant's Resort Condominium International, LLC.

Oct. 28 -- John Dawkins is president and chief executive officer of Jo-Dan Enterprises, which owns and operates nine McDonald's family restaurants in the north central Philadelphia and Avenue of the Arts areas of the city. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor, Dawkins' company has been recognized as the largest employer of African-Americans to be owned by an African-American in the City of Philadelphia.

Nov. 4 -- Robin Lee Allen, is executive director of Nation's Restaurant News, the industry's largest trade publication.

Nov. 11 -- Bobby Pancake, owner of Buffalo Wild Wings in Maryland and Delaware, was invited to Washington after being awarded the U.S. Small Business Administrator's National Entrepreneurial Success Award in May, where he met President Barack Obama and discussed the state of restaurants and other small businesses.

Nov. 18 -- Andrew Kerin is executive vice president of ARAMARK Corporation and group president of Global Food, Hospitality and Facility Services. Under his leadership are all of the company's U.S. and Canadian-based food, hospitality and facilities businesses, including the management of professional services in healthcare institutions, universities, schools, business locations, entertainment and sports venues, correctional facilities and hospitality venues.

The series, named in honor of HRIM founder Paul Wise, was established by the department in 2006-07 to bring prominent industry professionals and executives to campus.

Also in Wise's honor, the Paul Wise Executive-Residence fund was established when he retired from UD in 2000. The fund sponsors an on-campus program consisting of lectures, workshops, consultations and advisement sessions with HRIM faculty and staff, and is spearheaded by a recognized leader who personifies current best practices in hospitality management.

Additional information, including speaker biographies, is available on the HRIM website.

Article by Kathryn A. Marrone